The invention relates generally to a power connector and more particularly to an electrical contact and connector configured for power distribution.
In the past, a variety of connectors have been utilized for power distribution applications. A wide variety of electrical connectors exist for use today depending upon the environment and application for which it is intended. In some applications, multiple sets of wires are needed to be joined by an electrical connector for a variety of applications. Examples of such applications may be found in residential or commercial environments, such as utility applications that utilize equipment with high power demands. An example of a commercial application with a high power demand is highway lighting.
In one example, conventional power connectors exist that include a housing or base with one or more contacts mounted to the housing or base with a rivet. Typically, the base is made out of a non-conductive material, such as Nomex™. The base is separately secured to a support structure, such as a transformer. The wires of the transformer are coupled to the contacts of the power connector to facilitate power distribution. However, conventional power connectors have met with limited success and have had difficulty keeping the contacts secured to the base. Conventional power connectors use a separate rivet to join each contact to the base.
However, the use of a separate rivet creates the potential for the contact to be disconnected if the rivet inadvertently dislodges. In addition, joining the contact to the base using a rivet is labor intensive and increases manufacturing costs and the number of parts in the connector.